Best Value in O Gauge?

Do you mean SD70Ace sets? What MTH item numbers? I did have a couple of Imperials SD 70Ace and they are super nice value for the money and have full DCS.

 

Where did you get them sets for $300? Thx!

By the description, yes, that is the set he is referring to.  I bought one of the Norfolk Southern SD70ACe Diesel R-T-R Deluxe Freight Train Set w/Proto-Sound 2.0 earlier this year as well.  I can tell you that it was an Excellent Value indeed.  It was NOS (New Old Stock) purchased from an On-Line Dealer (not sure if they are a sponsor so I'll play it safe and not mention the name) but it was closer to $400.00 than $300.00, however, that was with shipping.  This particular set was a bit hard to find back in January so it may be a bit more difficult finding one now.  The set was originally delivered in August of 2010 or there about.  I have seen the Stacker with the EOT listed on "The Bay" for close to $100.00 but I'm not sure if it sold for that.  The down side is that it is a PS2 and I understand that they are no longer making replacement parts for these as MTH has up-graded to PS3.  Mine is at the Service Department in Maryland with what I've been told is a bad power board so I just have to wait and see what transpires.

 

Chief Bob (Retired)  

That is called the DCS Remote Commander (DCS RC). It will run any PS2/3 locomotive that has it's factory configuration. As soon as you run your locomotive on a system with a full DCS system, you'll need to do a Factory Reset before it will run with your DCS RC again.

 

Keep that in mind if you happen to pickup a second hand locomotive or even a new one that has been "tested" at your LHS.

What Gilly said.

 

The Imperial engines are a great value for the dollar.  I only have the 0-6-0 but she's a nice one:

 

 

 

Would like a 4-8-2 if it doesn't have a Bellpaire firebox/boiler.

I think best value depends on your price point and the target audience.  I am a huge fan of mth, and am even working on converting some of my other equipment to dcs, however my son's polar express w/lionchief is top notch for play value and has been rock solid from a performance point of view. I also have a toddler that I have a low end lionchief starter set on order for.  The ease of having a dedicated remote and plug and play operation is great for little guys.  (And leaves me more money to get dcs upgrades done!)

Generally speaking, I find MTH Rail King trains with PS 2 and PS 3 are the best value in O-gauge because of their operating features and level of detail. However, I do not include MTH Real Trax in my opinion. Also a great value is RMT rolling stock, especially the RMT center cupola cabooses, and RMT coal hoppers.

 

MTH Rail King bumper trolley cars operate so much better than any others, so these are a great value. Western Hobbycraft has the best value Brill cars on the planet.

Scale:

 

MTH MP15 Railking.

 

Set:

 

MTH Imperial Starter Set

 

 

Hands down....

 

Peter, good post!

Those Imperial SD70 set are one of the best values in O gauge.  They come with a great engine that has very good pulling power and the entire set has quite the play value to it with all the sounds.  Glad your sons are involved in the hobby and are enjoying these sets.

My vote is for the 0-6-0 Railking locomotives. They are very close to scale size. I own 4 of them.

Scott Smith

fora conventional engine, the lionel 0-6-0 docksider from a few years ago is hard to beat, $100 for a powerhouse in a tiny package, okay it runs a little fast.

 

For command, any railking/ railking imperial set is usually the best to me, but it still makes a difference as to the target audience. 

 

I am so looking forward to the inexpensive LC starter set to show up for my toddler I can't stand it, and there we are talking $150 delivered.

We have 2 of the SD70ace sets. I am very impressed! However, I do not like the track that comes with them. There is nothing that lines up the center rails from track to track. It has been bad enough to cause the trains to derail. This can be fixed with some pliers and time, it's just annoying. I hear the ES44ac engines that come with the new sets are awesome. We may have to pick up one of the engines. We like the red and yellow NS.

I just received a new WBB Pennsy 4-6-0 through forum sponsor Mario's Trains, and I am very pleased with it. They had a Father's Day Special discount which brought the price down to less tha $200, including shipping. I got to run it this past Saturday at our club's display in Davie, and it had no problem pulling another member's string of half a dozen passenger cars. While it doesn't have all the fine details and great electronic features found on the new MTH and Lionel locos, it can't be beat for it's smooth & quiet drive. I also finally got to run my little LionChief Thomas set that I bought at Tuesday Morning's back in February. It ran pretty well, but not nearly so nice as my LionChief Plus Mikado, which I bought from a fellow club member last summer. Still, for the price, The Thomas set was a great buy. I think the LC+ 2-8-2 "Mike" is my favorite 3 rail loco, it really runs  well, and the controller is easy to operate.

 

Bill in FtL

Gentlemen,

   IMO the best deal in O gauges is the original Williams Engines any type you want to pick, great quality for minimal price that lasted many life times.  I own a few myself, from the GG1 to the UP Diesels all were great stuff.

PCRR/Dave

My opinions are very similar to yours. I have two of these SD70ACE sets as well, the 30-4214-1 UP PS2 set ($399 MSRP) and the 30-4220-1 BNSF PS3 set ($419 MSRP) from the 2011 and 2012 Ready-to-Run catalogs. These sets were both around $329 street price at the time I got them with less than $20 in shipping charges. Got the UP set first, liked it so well I went back soon after and ordered the BNSF set which arrived a few months later. Somewhere in there I got the full DCS set (remote & TIU) and things have grown from there. Added some Legacy engines and the Legacy 990 set last year.

 

MTH is now offering similar sets with ES44AC's (all PS3 now) at slightly higher MSRP's ($449) and I imagine the street prices would have to be higher now as well as shipping charges. The new BNSF set is very tempting, but lately I have been going more toward scale size and Premier items. These are definitely great values and the above sets that I now have are what really got me going and back into the hobby a few years ago.

 

I would definitely recommend any of the MTH starter sets to anyone. They are a really great way to get started in (or back into) O gauge trains. While these sets include only the remote commander for starters, the engines have the full DCS system installed in them. The same boards that are used in their full DCS engines, so you can move right into the full DCS system with nothing to upgrade or add. That was a big attraction and selling point for me when I was getting back into the hobby.

Well, my idea for best value is the Premier ES44AC.  It has great sound (though not as powerful as Lionel), fixed pilots, scale wheels, fine/prototypical looking thin handrails, it runs on DCC or DCS, AND it has prototypical correct variations from scheme to scheme (headlight placement, etc - something the Lionel doesn't have). You can easily change it from 2-rail to 3-rail.  It's completely 1:48.   All for $419 or so.  The only thing better looking is a $2500 OMI model.

I'll answer this a little differently. For entry level and low end of the price point, I don't think you can beat MTH Railking. I can't afford the upper end stuff myself, but for features, detail, and quality of materials, all the ones I've bought were superior to equally, or higher priced, sets or single pieces. And although the Lionel LC has it's unique pluses for entry level sets, I think the remote is a little cheap and looks like it can be fairly easily broken in the hands of an over zealous kid. I like the size of the RK freight cars, as opposed to traditional, and like the diecast trucks and couplers. And I think all the new MTH sets are PS3 and a set comperable to the OP's set can be had for under $400. I wanted to pickup a set just to get the SD70ace but decided to get sick instead..........Lol (you have to be here) had to shave head this am.

 

And for the inexpensive range conventional I don't think you get much better than RMT. Sure spend a little more for WBB, but then maybe you get more detail. I can't speak for the middle or upper end. I still can't believe I spent $450 for 1 engine.....

 

Talking about overall value for your dollar.  These are not entry level locomotives. They are Imperials with full DCS suite, detailed and with interior figures. And also considering that the set comes with three beautiful RK double stack cars that are detailed and have end of train devices. And a power brick. And a remote controller. And track. And a CD of the paired down RR-Track software.

 

If you are focused on small children and their take on things, the Thomas the Tank Set with LionChief remote from last Christmas at Amazon at $120 for the set could not be beat for value.

 

Obviously for serious hobbyists, other choices may represent greater "value," but it's hard to beat a train set for less than half the price of any other "command" type equipment,  and no need for any additional purchases to have multiple locomotives operating in command mode when you purchase LionChief or LionChief Plus locos.  Command control for conventional prices, essentially.

MTH RailKing sets are probably the best deal in the hobby for full command operations on a budget.

 

   Bill T.

For my money, the Railking Scale RS-1 is the winner.

 

The add-on detail at that price point is wonderful and the sound package is spot-on.

 

 

You're right.  In terms of what you're getting for your money (the stuff itself, the level of manufacturing quality and the respective price), I see the "issues" you raise as completely irrelvant.  Just like I see the "it's not realistic enough for me" arguments as nonsense too.  In case you hadn't noticed, real railroads usually don't have a chemically darkened center rail either.  So using your logic, if you are a 3-rail modeler, you should tear up your pike and get rid of it now - clearly there is a huge lack of value in any track you pick due to this gigantic error in design. 

PW Hudsons, 2056, 2046, 675 and PW Berkshires 726 and 736.

I agree that the Rail King starter sets are really a great value..  I recommend them to anyone who is considering getting into O gage trains either for them selves or for their children.  I bought a Santa Fe passenger set for my sons kids a few years ago and it led to them getting into the hobby in a big way.  He likes the electronics and his kids just like the trains.

 

Rolland

I'll have to agree that the RailKing Scale RS-1 is a great loco for the price. Mine just arrived in the LHS last week, where we ran it on the test track, but I haven't had time to take it to the club layout yet. Just looking at it out of it's box, I would have expected it to be in the Premier line rather than RailKing, it looks that good. I waited over a year after I ordered it for it to arrive but it was worth the wait. My only disappointment was the lack of the DCC selector switch which the catalog says it has, now I guess I have to call MTH to see if there's any way to easily switch it so that I can run it on my DCC layout at home, and with DCS on the club layout.

 

Bill in FtL

I have 2 UP starter sets. The stack train 30-4214-1 and the starter set with the boxcar, tankcar and caboose 30-4194-1. Both are nice. I have issues lashing them up because the TIU and DCS set up in General is really messed up. When they run together I can run really good consists. Of course I have blown $240 in together replacing the mother boards. Other than that they are troopers. Doug W. Has 4 and they work well enough that he lashed 3 up in a train 2 in front 1 in the middle of his train.

You can switch it to DCC. Call MTH and they will tell you which wire to cut for DCC, install your own little switch and you are all set for DCC/DCS operation.

Hey glad to hear the RK RS-1 is that nice. I had ordered one many months ago (was supposed to be delivered last December) and my dealer just called to LMK it's in. Can't wait to see it. Peter

But won't cutting a wire and adding a switch also void any factory warranty? Rather than void the warranty, I think I'll have to run it on conventional AC control. It annoys me that MTH changed the features after the order went in, and then took over 6 months extra to deliver it. I thought several times during that 6 months that I should just cancel the order, but I didn't want to do that to my LHS, and now that I've seen the loco, I'm glad I didn't cancel, but I'm still a bit miffed that MTH didn't live up to their own catalog description (not that Lionel is any better in that respect).

 

Bill in FtL

I thought there was a jumper you had to move for DCC in the RailKing PS3's? I hadn't heard of the wire cutting, but I haven't tried to switch anything to DCC either. I would think if MTH intended this to be done to switch to DCC (it is an advertised feature after all) and told you what to do to switch it over that the warranty should still be valid?

 

IMHO, one cannot determine the "Best value" unless you have a list of requirements. For those of us who prefer to run traditionally detailed and controlled trains, I'd choose operator grade used Lionel trains, including stuff made in the Modern era.

I would agree with this.

I wonder when they started the wire cutting? Did they use a jumper for a while, before the wire cutting method? So if you install a switch, connected = switch on and DCS, and switch off = DCC? Will have to pay closer attention and look around next time I have the shell off one.

 

I don't have DCC so I am not really affected here, but I do have hopes of getting a DCC set someday (I currently like the NCE system) and trying it out. I have read about DCC systems and it sounds interesting, might be fun to play with.

Before, MTH used to have a switch that grounds the DCC signal, and now the switch is gone. But the DCC ability is still built in...MTH advertises DCC on PS3 locos but it is not easy to access this feature now. I hope they would return the switch, put a sticker ON the switch telling customers how to use it properly and so on. (MTH Tech told me they had many customers return locos coz switch was in DCC by mistake)

Peter

You got a good value.  BTW the pulsating light is referred to as a FRED Flashing Rear End Device

Dave,

You're right on the money. I prefer the models made prior to the last year before WbB. IMHO In the end, it seems that a lot of trains were made from left over marginal, poor quality parts. Again, that's my opinion.

To me the best value is how much train can I get for the money.  So if TMCC, Command Control, DCS, etc are NOT a requirement, then I venture towards the 1991 and later Lionel units.  I would like to have as many trains and as nice of trains as possible.  So I would rather have the 18005 Scale Hudson, 18040 N&W 612 Steam, 18117 Santa Fe ABBA and the 18042 B&A Hudson all new for less than the price of a recent release $1000.00 engine with much better electronics.  I have more to play with and if its something I really like, maybe I can upgrade the electronics with ERR boards.  If I don't like it, I can resell it and don't loose a ton of money.  Kind of like buying a used car or a Windows 7 computer.  I have never lusted after any of those engines.  But when opportunity knocks with a price that low, I usually give in.  Some of that is psychological.  Just knowing that the 18005 sold for $1200 back in 1991, makes it hard to pass it up for $275-295 brand new.  I do have some newer engines, but not hearing that mechanical e-unit buzz really makes me uncomfortable.  I never know which direction the engine is going to go.